Riding Ability

Bonanza Creek is a true horse riding guest ranch and we're a great fit for guests with riding experience. We spend long hours in the saddle (4-6 hours each day) and ride a wide variety of breathtaking terrain including steep climbs and descents. (You'll get a good sense of the variety of our beautiful country from the many photos on this website.) It's important for your enjoyment, and the enjoyment of the other guests, that you're physically fit and have riding experience and saddle time before you arrive. We unfortunately cannot accommodate novice riders.
We ask that ALL riders be comfortable ...

Cattle Ranching

Ranching is not just a business, it's a way of life. And it's a 365 day a year commitment. Regardless of the weather, holidays, or any other plans we may have, the cattle have to be taken care of.
There are four main seasons on a working cattle ranch: calving, branding, haying and shipping
Of course these are just the highlights and in no way includes all of the work involved in running a cattle ranch. There is always work that needs to be done - repairing fences, moving cows from one pasture to another, checking the condition of the cows, feeding ...

The Ranch

On this family operated ranch, we run 1,500 head of cattle on 25,000 acres - and that means lots of places to ride and lots of cattle to move.The ranch was originally homestead in 1877 by Norwegian immigrants looking for a better life. Today the Voldseth family, which are the fourth and fifth generations living on this land, own and work the ranch. It won't take you long to see that they chose this area not only for its good water and grasses to graze cattle and sheep, but also for its beautiful scenery. The Voldseth Ranch lies partly in ...

A Montana Dude Ranch Vacation You'll Remember Forever!
Welcome to Bonanza Creek Country Guest Ranch, where, since the 1870s, Montana ranch hands have roamed the range and worked cattle along the banks of Bonanza Creek. More than a century later, very little has changed...the only difference is that now we have set a place at the table for you.
Here, personal attention is the norm, with only 8-12 guests invited per week. The demand to conform to strict routine simply floats away on the Montana breeze.
Hospitality and friendly atmosphere, responsive horses, challenging cattle work, tasty home cooking, comfortable cabins and loads of ...

Horseback Riding

Great riding, good ranch horses, and the thrill of moving herds of cattle are the reasons most guests come to Bonanza Creek. There's no head-to-tail riding here; we let you ride to your ability, and we do lots of it!
Riding is our main activity with morning and afternoon rides as well as all day rides. Every day is a new adventure on horseback - climb the high ridge, meander through the woods along gurgling Bonanza Creek, canter across open country, gather up a herd of cow/calf pairs, ride to an old homestead that the modern world still hasn't reached. Soak ...

The Bonanza Creek Cabins

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THE COWBOY CABIN
The Cowboy Cabin is an A-Frame style log cabin with an upstairs loft. The cabin has two bedrooms (one downstairs and one up in the loft), a bath, kitchen and living area with a wood burning stove. It's a family cabin with cowboy decor and sleeps up to six. The large front porch provides wonderful views of Bonanza Creek.
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THE INDIAN CABIN
The Indian Cabin has Native American decor, a cozy feel, and a front porch for relaxing and soaking up the scenery. Inside you'll find a bedroom, bath, and living area with a ...

Rides & Riding Activities

[slideshow id=19 w=350 h=245]Riding in this big country with other good riders who love to ride is an incredible experience. Come and enjoy the freedom of riding in open, unspoiled country where for generations ranchers have tended to the land, sheep, cattle and horses. You'll ride not only on the beautiful Voldseth ranch, but also on the vastness of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest. The views and the experience will stay with you forever.
RIDES
With country as big as this, there is an endless variety of rides we can take our guests on. The rides chosen for each week ...

[slideshow id=19 w=350 h=245]Riding in this big country with other good riders who love to ride is an incredible experience. Come and enjoy the freedom of riding in open, unspoiled country where for generations ranchers have tended to the land, sheep, cattle and horses. You'll ride not only on the beautiful Voldseth ranch, but also on the vastness of the Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest. The views and the experience will stay with you forever.
RIDES
With country as big as this, there is an endless variety of rides we can take our guests on. The rides chosen for each week ...

Lodging

THE BONANZA CREEK LODGE
The Bonanza Creek Lodge is the hub of the Bonanza Creek Guest Ranch. It's your first stop when you arrive, where you'll gather for meals, and a great place for socializing with your fellow guests.
[slideshow id=14 w=350 h=245]In the Lodge you'll find the Dining Room, Laundry Room and a large Family Room complete with fireplace, books, and board games. The lodge is equipped with wifi and a laptop is available for guest use. The small Bonanza Creek Shop, where you'll find some great western and Bonanza Creek clothing and gift items, is also located in the lodge.
On ...

Our Horses

The Bonanza Creek horses are almost all Quarter Horses with a few Paints and Appaloosas sprinkled in for color, and a few Draft Horse crosses for size. These solid, hearty and sure-footed animals are the iconic horse of the American West. Many are former ranch horses, and all are familiar with our terrain. If you've never ridden one, you're in for a treat.
We own approximately 40 guest horses and only have 8 -12 guests per week. This ensures that our horses are well-rested and in excellent shape for the entire season. It also means that we have a large ...

Green Pastures

Ranchers have long been the original environmentalists. Put simply, if we don't take care of the land, it isn't going to take care of us. We value the land we work on for many reasons. We value it because of its rich history and because it allows us to work with animals each day wondering what surprises the elements will bring.
It provides us a way of life that we value, and in return, we try our best through hard work and dedicated stewardship to leave the land as good as or better than we found it.
We have made several modifications ...

A Montana Dude Ranch Vacation You’ll Remember Forever!Welcome to Bonanza Creek Country Guest Ranch, where, since the 1870s, Montana ranch hands have roamed the range and worked cattle along the banks of Bonanza Creek. More than a century later, very little has changed…the only difference is that now we have set a place at the table for you.

Here, personal attention is the norm, with only 8-12 guests invited per week. The demand to conform to strict routine simply floats away on the Montana breeze.

Hospitality and friendly atmosphere, responsive horses, challenging cattle work, tasty home cooking, comfortable cabins and loads of fun are just a few of the reasons guests come back year after year.

Our horses are ranch horses and are chosen for you by your level of ability. We have the tried and true, and faster cow horses for the more advanced. Each one a solid partner. Many a guest has tried to take their horse home with them when they leave.

There are new riding opportunities every day, with a wide variety of terrain and landscapes to experience. What better way to see Montana’s beautiful Big Sky Country than from horseback. You’ll participate in real cattle work and have a chance to try the sport of team penning. Best of all – – no head-to-tail riding! It is a true adventure for your riding holiday.

If you’d like to spend some time out of the saddle, we have many options including fishing, hiking, massage, hot tubs, a ghost town, and the much sought after peace and quiet.